'Criminal Minds' Season 14 Air Date, Spoilers: Last-Minute Renewal May Spell Final Chapter of Series

The upcoming "Criminal Minds" season 14 has been the most controversial season for the series when it got renewed just in the nick of time last May. Despite being one of the longest-running shows in CBS's catalog, the series has had a large dip in viewership since its original release, being edged out by other crime procedurals such as CBS's own “NCIS" series.

“Criminal Minds” seaosn 14 will be featuring a contracted number of episodes that, while disappointing, will hopefully wrap up the season 13 cliffhanger. Fans can stay assured that seaon 14's premiere episode will answer the fate of BAU's technical analyst, Penelope Garcia. The show's loyal fanbase and abrupt plot delay are most likely the main reasons why “Criminal Minds” got a second lease on life for the 2018-19 season.

While fans may be disappointed by the potentially contracted season, CBS president Kelly Kahl has mentioned that the reason for the contracted episode orders has been the desire for the network to give space for newer original shows on air. Kahl also mentioned that “Criminal Minds” may potentially get more episodes depending on how production goes for the series.

In light of the possibility that “Criminal Minds” season 14 will still get further episode orders, the show's executive producer, Harry Bring, has confirmed via his personal Twitter account that season 14 will have 15 episodes to share to its fans. Still, Bring is optimistically keeping his calendar open for a potential 22-episode run in case CBS orders a full season for “Criminal Minds” season 14.

Aside from the potential plot point wrap-ups, Loyal fans of “Criminal Minds” will be glad to know that “Criminal Minds” season 14 will be a hallmark season for the FBI crime procedural. The show will be celebrating its 300th episode when it airs its premiere episode on Oct. 3.